TJ sat up and nodded. “Maybe there’s hope for me after all.”
“Maybe.” Erik stood and reached for Maggie. She slapped a hand over her mouth and her eyes popped open wide just as a loud splash rang out.
The canoe drifted away down the river as TJ clung to the mooring rope. He bobbed up and down in the water, swearing softly. A huge sigh escaped him. “Then again, maybe not.”
Darren and his team sloshed past, their faces grim. The leader turned to glare at Erik, his gaze raking Maggie’s body. Erik stepped in front of her slightly. He didn’t want the ass anywhere near her. Not when she’d come so far in facing her fears.
“Nice teamwork, Erik.” Darren growled. “You going to introduce me to your lady?”
Maggie ducked under his arm, her face buried in Erik’s side. “Looks like she’s not interested. Keep walking, there’s nothing here for you.”
Darren raised a brow, his gaze flicking between Erik and the little bit of Maggie still showing. “Interesting. We’ll see you in the next challenge.”
They stomped off, their dripping bodies leaving a trail behind.
Chapter 9
Maggie knocked on the door of the hotel room next to hers, her heart beating loud enough she was surprised they couldn’t already hear her standing outside. She didn’t really want to do this, but since she saw no alternative, she was going to put on her big-girl panties and force herself to have a good time. If she didn’t pass out first from nerves. Jared opened the door and whistled in appreciation.
“My oh my, you clean up nice.”
Maggie spun in a circle, the layers of her skirt floating around her. Now that she knew he was safe, Jared reminded her of nothing more dangerous than a golden retriever. “Why thank you, kind sir. Is the rest of my harem ready to escort me to the ball?”
He snorted and gestured her in. “TJ’s still in the shower and Erik disappeared thirty minutes ago, saying he needed to grab some stuff.”
Maggie sat in the overstuffed chair in the corner of the enormous suite. There was a wet bar behind her, a comfortable sofa facing a massive wall-mounted TV and an office studio off to the side. “I can’t believe they put us in a five-star hotel in Dawson City. I’ve never experienced the kind of luxury we’ve had for the past three days.”
Jared raised a brow. “What? Just ’cause we’re wolves doesn’t mean we don’t know how to behave in high society.” He straightened the collar of his white shirt and pulled on a suit jacket. Maggie admired the results. The boy was a walking advertisement for GQ, wolf style. “Damn, can you help me with this? I can never get it straight.”
She slapped his hands out of the way to work on his tie. “Staying here is just such a contrast. They start us out with a hike through the wilderness, throw us in the Yukon River and then plant us in Dawson to cool our heels? I mean I’ve loved the sightseeing and the sleeping in a real bed. And the food…oh my Lord, I’ve gained ten pounds.” She shrugged. “I thought they would make us head right away for the next challenge.”
He stepped back to check himself in the mirror. “Remember these Games are supposed to be like the wolf equivalent of the Olympics. Yeah, we all want to do our best, but there’s also the good-will-between-packs part. It’s a chance to show we can be together without starting territory wars like in the old days.”
Maggie collapsed back into the chair. “Jared…I’m going to confess. You guys from the Granite pack are not like any wolves I’ve met before.”
TJ leapt out of the bathroom, stark naked, dripping wet and singing into a hairbrush at the top of his lungs. Jared eyed him for a moment before turning to face Maggie, one brow lifted high. “You were saying?”
She burst out laughing. Jared joined her and the two of them gasped for air as TJ stood in the middle of the room, a confused expression on his face.
“What?”
The main door opened and Erik wandered in, checking out TJ as he paced around him. “Interesting attire. I take it you’re going for the super formal look.”
“Ha, ha.” TJ dragged a towel over his body and nodded at Erik in his jeans and T-shirt. “What’s with you? That’s not your usual black-tie outfit.”
“Nope.”
Maggie rose to examine Erik more closely. The past couple of days he’d been by her side all day long, taking her on tours, buying her trinkets at the souvenir shops. Guarding her when too many wolves crowded around. Then he would kiss her good night outside her hotel room and leave her. Leave her aching and wanting, and she was so ready to rip the clothes right off his gladiator-sized body here and now to sate the urges pulsing through her.
This mate thing was getting seriously out of control.
He winked. “I thought Maggie and I would skip the formal dinner. You two go as the representatives from Granite Lake.”
Relief flooded her, the tension headache at the back of her neck slipping away in one smooth stroke. “You mean it?”
He gestured to the basket he’d dropped on the coffee table. “I raided the kitchen. Private picnic for two sound good?”
She threw herself into his arms and buried her face in his neck. She breathed in deeply, his scent filling her head and calming her nerves.
“Thank you,” she whispered. He’d known. He’d understood she still couldn’t do the whole room full of strange wolves.
Someone cleared their throat and she realized she was not only clinging to Erik, she’d wrapped her legs around his waist and they were rather intimately pressed together. Not that she was embarrassed— wolves were pretty upfront about sex—but if she didn’t move soon, they’d be putting on a show, and she really wanted to be alone with him.
Erik lowered her carefully, brushing his knuckles against her cheek before taking her by the hand. “Boys, I expect you to be on your best behaviour. I don’t want to be called back to Diamond Tooth Gertie’s and find out you’ve been fighting.”
Jared winked. “Tonight, I’m a lover, not a fighter.” He turned to TJ. “Did you see the chick on the Norwegian Team? Arwhoo. I claim dibs on that one.”
Maggie held on tightly to Erik as he whisked her out of the room and down the ornately decorated hallway. “Are we going to get in trouble for not attending?”
He shook his head. “It’s an optional event. The guys will have a good time, there will be a lot of sex happening in the corners of the room, and one team will get thrown out for trying to start a rumble. The usual when you get a big gathering of wolves together.”
Oh Lord, now she was even happier she didn’t have to attend.
They walked quietly down the historic wooden boardwalk, Maggie pulling in long slow breaths of the fresh air. Above them the sky remained daylight bright.
Erik noticed her gazing upward. “We’ve traveled far enough north sunset won’t happen until just after midnight.”
She nodded. “I’ve missed this part of the North. Before we moved away from Whitehorse I used to love staying up late and going for runs…”
Her throat choked tight and he squeezed her fingers. He led her into the trees and up a narrow path. By the time they broke out above the city, she could breathe again. She stood looking down at the narrow streets nestled against the Yukon River, the hills on the other side still showing their scars from the years of dredge mining. The massive machines had followed the hand miners, scooping up layers of rock and soil to shift out every bit of gold, leaving chunks of broken rubble in their wake.
That was her.
Scarred. Beaten, and pulled apart until there was nothing left of value. At least, that’s what she’d felt like before meeting Erik. She sighed. If only it was as easy as bulldozing the rocks aside and planting flowers to cover the scars on her heart.
Erik wrapped his arms around her from the back, pulling her against his warm body. “We need to deal with this tonight. I’m pretty sure the next challenge is going to involve us having to shift. We need to talk.”
Anger flared. “This is about me being able to shift? For the Games?” She would have torn herself from his grasp, but suddenly iron bands held her in place.